Clara Comingore

Clara Louise O’Neil Comingore, at the great age of 94, passed away peacefully at home on October 22, 2020 with her family at her side.

Clara was born in 1926 in Moundsville, West Virginia to Nelle (Lancaster) O’Neil and Ray O’Neil.  Clara and her parents moved to Washington, D. C. when she was a young child.  At the age of 9, she met the love of her life, Ed Comingore through their church.  Ed and Clara married on July 12, 1947 and celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary this year.   Together they had the joy of raising 5 daughters.

Clara earned an A.A. from George Washington University and her B.A. from The Ohio State University.  Her academic studies were topped off with a M.S. in Education at California State University Hayward in 1978.   Clara deeply enjoyed being a teacher of elementary age children.  She worked as a teacher, Reading Specialist and Resource Specialist for 20 years.

Clara and Ed brought their daughters up to enjoy the outdoors.  Clara taught all her daughters and many grandchildren how to ski.  She was a member of the Boreal Ridge Ski Patrol as an Auxiliary patroller for 25 years and, with her husband Ed, skied until she was 89 years old.  Clara enjoyed tennis, swimming, running, walking, reading and writing.  She played piano from childhood and sang in choruses for many years.  As a life-long learner, at 78 she learned and became skilled in clarinet and alto saxophone. She played in a number of local bands and, at 90 years of age, performed her final concert at Carnegie Hall.

Clara is survived by her husband Ed Comingore and their daughters:  Nancy (Mark) Mitchell, Katherine (John) Miller, Darlene Comingore, Beth (Tom) Ward and Laura (Ron) Hubrich.  She leaves a legacy of 9 grandchildren:  Brian (Jennifer) Mitchell, Douglas (Chrissy) Mitchell, John Miller, Andy Miller, Jacob Comingore, Travis (Kristy) Newkirk, Alli (Jared) White, Jenny (David) White and Ryan Hubrich; as well as 18 great grandchildren.

Clara challenged the minds and enriched the spirit of everyone she met.  She will be missed by all she touched in her long life.

A viewing will be held for friends and family on Wednesday, November 4 from 5 to 7 pm at Smith Funeral Home, 116 D Street, Davis, California.  Private funeral services will be held at Smith Funeral Home, Davis, CA.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Ed and Clara Comingore Scholarship Foundation, providing scholarships to students interested in either teaching or engineering careers; c/o Ed and Clara Comingore Scholarship Foundation, 172 S. Temelec Circle, Sonoma, CA 95476.